Boots No7 Stay Perfect Lipstick ($10, amazon.com; 11 shades). Women found it lasted 3.1 hours — nearly as long as the winner. They were fans of its creamy texture, which left their lips feeling smooth ... at a bargain price.

How We Tested

We rounded up 10 longwear lipsticks. Then 10 women tested them all in our lab; 10 more tried out one or more at home. The biggest surprise: Not one lipstick lived up to its six-hour (or even longer) claim (the range: 2.6 to 3.9 hours).

First, breakfast: After applying lipstick, volunteers took three bites of a bagel and three sips of a hot drink. Lab photos were taken to measure color retention before eating and drinking, immediately afterward, and six hours later (no reapplying allowed).

Testers reported how long the lipsticks lasted and how they felt on their lips (creamy, dry, etc.).